The world of opera and classical singing has given me over 45 years of living the dream—world travel, meeting and working with some of the most famous singers, conductors and stage directors of yesterday, today and tomorrow. It’s been a successful and very satisfying journey for me.

Success means something different to everyone…..so let me ask you, what does success mean to you? It is different for everyone. Most people are afraid of both success and failure. What are you afraid of and why? Once you know the reality of what a singing career demands, are you still interested in pursuing this dream and why? And last but not least, how is your current career plan working out for you? Need some help? You’ve come to the right spot.

Here are my four key cornerstones, the necessary foundation upon which to build and support your career:

• First and foremost, having a solid and consistently dependable vocal technique.
• Knowing who you are, from the inside out.
• Having a destination and a solid plan to get there.
• Maintaining personal accountability in all areas of your life.

If you already have these things in place, then you probably don’t need me. But if any one of them is not stable, remember—the higher you go, the further you can fall, so call me, Skype me, email me—right now, while you are feeling the passion of possibility stir within yourself.

Let me help you review where you are in your career, confirm what you already have in place and what honestly works well for you. Together we can define any areas that might need some adjusting. Let’s set up a plan to make your career foundation whole and solid knowing there is no progress without change.

Biography

Throughout America and Europe, dramatic soprano Carol Kirkpatrick has thrilled audiences and critics alike. “One seemed to see and hear a singer instantly vested in a character and a dramatic moment.” Indianapolis Star; “Ms. Kirkpatrick gave every phrase such a high point of believability that one forgets they are in the theatre.” RAI Radio; “Blessed with a combination of vocal power, unfaltering tone, true artistry and fiercely believable dramatic instincts, she made her tortured character riveting scene after scene.” Arizona Daily Star; “A major voice, one worth the whole evening.” The New York Times; “An unusual and thrilling voice full of passion that has a silvery quality and shimmers especially on top.” The Phoenix Gazette; “With this beautiful voice comes an enormous vocal strength with marrow shaking outbursts so completely from the whole inner being, that the last row of listeners in the theatre were held captive.” Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung; “There followed a spontaneous standing ovation with cries of ‘Brava,’ foot stamping and a rain of flowers onstage when Ms. Kirkpatrick came out for her solo bow.” San Francisco Chronicle.

After graduating from the University of Arizona in Tucson, and winning first prize in the San Francisco Opera Auditions, Ms. Kirkpatrick was given a contract with the San Francisco Opera Company where she performed main stage roles and was also asked to become a member of the touring company, Western Opera Theatre. Becoming a Corbett Fellow brought her to Europe, where she performed leading roles in some of the most prestigious opera houses in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and England. In addition to operatic performing, Ms. Kirkpatrick has been a soloist with many major orchestras throughout the United States and Europe. She was Artist in Residence at the Aspen Musical Festival, where she taught voice and performed with the Festival Orchestra. Columbia Artists Community Concert Series sought out Ms. Kirkpatrick to present recitals throughout North America. Her brilliant singing, interesting programming, and rapport with the public brought her great critical acclaim. She has worked with a host of prestigious conductors, including James Levine, Herbert Grossman, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli, Georges Pretre, Horst Stein, and Christopher Keene.

Carol Kirkpatrick talks with UND students about breaking into the music business and starting a career. Kirkpatrick was in Grand Forks to be a judge for the annual Met Auditions. Grand Forks Herald photo by Lori Weber Menke.

During her career and since her retirement, Ms. Kirkpatrick has been called upon to adjudicate a variety of auditions including those for the Metropolitan Opera and the San Francisco Opera. She continues to be in demand for presenting her Master Classes which help singers successfully portray the character through the text and music giving them the tools to continue this work beyond their time together and confidence when auditioning. As a Certified Master Neuro-Linguistic Programming Trainer and author of ARIA READY: The Business of Singing, Carol also spends her time sharing her performance, business, and interpersonal skills through her seminars and Aria Ready Bootcamps, all of which benefit from her extensive experience and training. Ms. Kirkpatrick currently lives in Denver, Colorado where as a Master Voice Teacher, she has an established and active voice studio.